multiplicity (spin multiplicity)

The number of possible orientations, calculated as $2 S + 1$ , of the spin angular momentum corresponding to a given total spin quantum number ( $S$ ), for the same spatial electronic wavefunction. A state of singlet multiplicity has $S = 0$ and $2 S + 1 = 1$ . A doublet state has $S = 1 2$ , $2 S + 1 = 2$ , etc. Note that when $S > L$ (the total orbital angular momentum possible) there are only $2 L + 1$ orientations of total angular momentum possible.

Source:

PAC, 1996, 68, 2223 (Glossary of terms used in photochemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)) on page 2255

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Cite as:
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997). XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.

Last update: 2014-02-24; version: 2.3.3.

DOI of this term: https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M04062.

Original PDF version: http://www.iupac.org/goldbook/M04062.pdf. The PDF version is out of date and is provided for reference purposes only. For some entries, the PDF version may be unavailable.

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